On January 20, AD and UPM members had an opportunity to get valuable information about their Guild during the online event, Beyond Orientation: How the DGA Works For You. The event was hosted jointly by the Eastern & Western AD/UPM Councils’ Education Committees and featured key members of the Councils and Committees and DGA staff who provided information beyond what one would hear at a typical new member orientation through in-depth presentations on a variety of subjects.
The event began as Western AD/UPM Council member Cleve Landsberg introduced DGA National Vice-President Laura Belsey, who delivered a special welcome to the Guild to the assembled attendees.
Following Belsey’s welcoming remarks, the presentations began with an overview of the Guild's contracts and operations with 1st AD/Western AD/UPM Council First Vice Chair Kevin Koster and 2nd AD/Eastern AD/UPM Council member Alana Bonilla speaking about Membership and delivering a Qualifications List review, Eastern AD/UPM Council Location Manager Committee member/2nd AD Ellen Athena Catsikeas on Location Manager duties in New York and Chicago, 2nd AD Tara Nicole Tjahjadi covering Multi-Camera productions, Eastern AD/UPM Council Member Education Committee Chair/2nd AD Michael Reichman explaining Member Responsibilities, 1st AD Jennie O'Keefe Armas on Safety Training, and members of the DGA staff — Assistant Executive Directors Mary Hatch and Faith Santilla, Senior Field Rep Jon Drew and Director of Contracts Administration Ayelet Ifrah — on how the DGA staff, Field Reps and Contracts Department work together to protect the creative and economic rights of the membership.
In the segment covering the Governance of the Guild, Board member/1st AD Joseph Reidy covered the DGA National Board and Constitution, current Western AD/UPM Council Chair Linda Montanti and current Eastern AD/UPM Council Chair Canella Williams-Larrabee on their respective Councils, Eastern AD/UPM Council Second Vice Chair Alison Rosa on the Eastern Regional Committee, CCC members/1st AD Anthony "Ace" E. Cabral and 2nd AD Jason Dusenske on the Chicago Coordinating Committee, former SFCC Chair/2nd AD John Morse on the Francisco Coordinating Committee, Current Eastern AD/SM/PA Council Chair Garry Hood, former Western AD/SM/PA Council Chair Valdez Flagg and Western AD/SM/PA Council Mentorship Committee Chair Sean Callahan on the AD/SM/PA Category, current Eastern AD/UPM Council First Vice Chair Thomas Whelan on the Proposals Committees and the DGA Negotiations, UPM/Eastern AD/UPM Council member Kathleen McGill on the Annual Meetings and 1st AD/Western AD/UPM Council Alternate Kelly Cantley-Kashima on the DGA PAC.
The Guild’s efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry was covered by Eastern Diversity Steering Committee AD/UPM Category Representative Sussan Cordero, who spoke about the various committees including her own and the African American Steering Committee, Asian American Committee, Disability Committee, Focus on Women Committee, Latino Committee, LGBTQ+ Committee and Women's Steering Committee.
The segment on member privileges and benefits included Pension & Health Plans Board member/UPM Liz Ryan on the Pension & Health Plans, DGA Foundation Chair/DGA First Vice President Todd Holland on the Directors Guild Foundation and UPM Elaine Dysinger on additional privileges and benefits.
Koster then covered new contract points from the recent DGA negotiations with the AMPTP, Western AD/UPM Council Commercial Committee Chair Greg McCollum covered new contract points from the recently ratified DGA National Commercial Agreement with the AICP, and Sustainable Future Committee Co-Chair Todd Holland spoke about the work of the Committee to provide DGA members with recommendations regarding reducing carbon emissions and waste in film and television production to mitigate the adverse impacts on the environment.
DGA Business Analyst Colin Crowley also provided the attendees with an overview of the information and services available online on the DGA website.
The day wrapped with a Q&A moderated by Western AD/UPM Council Chair Linda Montanti and Eastern AD/UPM Council Chair Canella Williams-Larrabee, where the online attendees had their questions addressed by Council members and DGA staff.
See video from this event in the gallery below.
About the Councils
The Eastern and Western AD/UPM Councils are the elected bodies that represent the Assistant Director and Unit Production Manager members of the Guild who work in film, television, commercials and new media.